Sky News stands by its actions which it says were 'editorially justified and in the public interest'

Credit: David Jones/PA

Broadcast regulator Ofcom is to investigate "the fairness and
privacy issues" raised after Sky News admitted to having hacked
emails on two occasions, for which it claimed there was editorial
justification and a public interest.

At the time he said Sky News "[stood] by these actions as
editorially justified and in the public interest" and that the
company did "not take such decisions lightly or frequently".

"They require finely balanced judgement based on individual
circumstances and must always be subjected to the proper editorial
controls."

Ofcom said today that it is "investigating the fairness and privacy
issues raised by Sky News' statement that it had accessed without
prior authorisation private email accounts during the course of its
news investigations".

"We will make the outcome known in due course," a spokesperson
added.

In response Sky News said it continues to stand by these
actions.

"The Crown Prosecution Service acknowledges that there are rare
occasions where it is justified for a journalist to commit an
offence in the public interest.

"The Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer told the Leveson
inquiry that 'considerable public interest weight' is given to
journalistic conduct which discloses that a criminal offence has
been committed and/or concealed."

At the time of writing Sky News's John Ryley is appearing before
the Leveson inquiry into the
culture, ethics and practices of the press.